And from Justin Timberlakes new mission to a new gig for jay leno to the mom making a surprise visit during her daughters audition video, all the trending stories this thursday morning. Good thursday morning, everyone. We begin with the white house firing back after the release of those bombshell audiotapes. The tapes reveal that President Trump admitted downplaying the coronavirus back in february. He spoke out late last night. Abcs faith abubey begins our coverage. Reporter this morning, the white house fighting back responding to recordings made public in which President Donald Trump acknowledged he understood the deadly threat posed by the coronavirus back in february but misled the public about it. Journalist bob woodward interviewed the president february 7th, 1 of 18 on the record interviews for woodwards book, rage. It goes through air, bob. Thats always tougher than the touch. You know, the touch, you dont have to touch things, right, but the air, you just breathe the air, and thats how its passed. And so thats a very tricky one. Its also more deadly than your, you know, even your strenuous flus. This is more deadly. This is five per you know, 5 versus 1 and less than 1 , you know, so this is deadly stuff. Reporter but just three weeks later the president told the American People coronavirus is like the flu contradicting what he told woodward. This is a flu. This is like a flu. Within a couple of days it will be down to close to zero. Thats a pretty good job weve done. Reporter in another interview in march, the president acknowledged he was not being up front with the public. Now its turning out its not just old people, bob. Just today and yesterday some startling facts came out. Its not just older people. Yeah, exactly. Its plenty of young people. Its clear just from whats on the Public Record that you went through a pivot on this to, oh, my god, the gravity is almost inexplicable and unexplainable. Well, i think, bob, really to be honest with you sure, i want you to be. I wanted to i wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down. Yes. Because i dont want to create a panic. Reporter the president on fox news last night defending his actions. Im the leader of the country. I cant be jumping up and down and scaring people. I dont want to scare people. I want people not to panic, and thats exactly what i did. Reporter the president insists his travel restrictions on china opposed by Many Democrats at the time saved countless lives, but joe biden calls the president s downplaying of the virus a life and death betrayal. The idea that he knew what was going on, he denied that he was briefed, remember, he said he wasnt briefed by the intelligence community, how bad it was, he didnt read it. He just flat lied. Thats wrong. Its totally irresponsible. Reporter dr. Anthony fauci, who according to woodward said the president s Attention Span is, quote, like a minus number defended the president wednesday. I dont think he distorted things that i spoke to him about. He would want to, you know, make sure that the country doesnt get down and out about things, but i dont recall anything that was any gross distortion in things that i spoke to him about. Reporter woodwards book also detailed a conversation in june amid protests for racial justice. According to the Washington Post, woodward asked the president about White Privilege suggesting both of them as white men with privileged backgrounds have a responsibility to better understand the anger felt by black americans. The president told woodward, no, i dont feel that at all. The book also reports former defense secretary james mattis told the director of National Intelligence the president was dangerous and unfit, and woodward reveals north korean dictator kim jongun called President Trump your excellency but its the coronavirus that woodward focuses on sitting down with 60 minutes for an interview airing sunday. In that february 7th interview, its clear that the president knows what the stakes are, but hes not sharing that with the public at that time. Yes, this is the tragedy. A president of the United States has a duty to warn. The public will understand that but if they get the feeling that theyre not getting the truth, then youre going down the path of deceit and coverup. Reporter last night the president was critical of bob woodward saying his previous books have been political hit jobs. The president says he gave woodward access to the white house to, quote, give it a shot while the white house says that proves the president is transparent with nothing to hide. Kenneth, mona. And the president ial republican allies on capitol hill noticeably quiet this morning, faith. Thank you. The Homeland Security department is denying claims from a former top official who says he was ordered to stop producing intelligence reports on russian interference in the 2020 election. Brian murphy says acting Homeland Security secretary chad wolf delivered the order saying it came from the white house and murphy claims he was told to withhold an intelligence bulletin on russian efforts because it, quote, made the president look bad. The white house says murphy is disgruntled. The death toll is rising from the historic wildfires on the west coast. A boy from oregon and his grandmother are among the victims. The governor says this could be the greatest loss of life and property from fire in state history. And in Northern California at least four people have died. Thousands have fled their homes. One fire carved a 25mile path of destruction. This morning, high winds and high heat fueling nearly 200 major fires on the west coast. Some of them wiping out entire neighborhoods. New video near portland, oregon, showing rows of homes destroyed. These satellite images showing towns before and then after the fire. This isnt safe. Oh, you can feel it. Oh, my god, people, go. Reporter oregons governor saying at least 35 large fires are burning across the state warning the damages could be catastrophic. This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our states history. Reporter overnight a 12yearold boy and his grandmother identified as two of those victims from a wildfire south of portland. The two disappeared early tuesday after getting separated from their family as flames forced them to evacuate. The boys father spoke to reporters earlier in the day when rescuers were still searching for them. He means everything to me and like, i dont know, i cant i cant do anything right now without knowing that hes not knowing where hes at, whats going on. Reporter and now tragedy in washington where a 1yearold has died near spokane. Firefighters finding the familys severely burned truck near their home. The childs parents left in critical condition. In california, nearly 14,000 firefighters called to the front lines fighting dozens of major wildfires. In the bay area an apocalyptic orangetinged sky. San franciscos Golden Gate Bridge barely visible in this picture taken in the middle of the day. Abcs matt gutman is in the fire zone. Ive been covering fires for half a dozen years or more. Ive never seen anything like this. A sky completely orange at 11 00 in the morning. Later matt surveying the damage. The devastation here is so widespread that the only way you can get a sense of the scope is to drive through it. Reporter and now hundreds of thousands of families facing the task of rebuilding their lives. The house aint even recognizable. Its just not. Theres nothing im so surprised that the people was able to get out of here alive looking at what there is. Its hard to believe. And a fire is also threatening paradise, california, where evacuation warnings have been issued. Fire destroyed that town in 2018. It was the deadliest fire in state history. A former Columbia University doctor is under federal indictment on charges he used his position to sexually abuse dozens of female patients. Prosecutors say Robert Haddens victims include minors. The wife of former president ial candidate andrew yang says hadden assaulted her while she was pregnant. A White College professor who reportedly admitted she was pretending to be black for most of her adult life has now resigned from her position at George Washington university. In a blog pest jessica krug was quoted saying her Mental Health demons dont justify pretending to be black. Time now for a look at your thursday morning weather. New video shows the hurricaneforce winds this week toppling semi trucks in utah. Much of the state is cleaning up and at least one death has been blamed on the fierce winds. Checking the radar right now, more september snow today in the southern rockies. Some areas could get 6 inches. Heavy rain in west texas could cause flash flooding. Looking at todays high temperatures, 69 in dallas, still very warm and dry on the west coast, 60s around the great lakes, 70s for the northeast. Coming up, mcdonalds testing out a new way to serve coffee. Also ahead, the nfl season kicks off tonight. What will be different and what wont be different this year. And later one city tries to cancel halloween because of the coronavirus. Our medical expert weighs in on the debate over trickortreating this year. Were back with a new plan were back now with a new plan to save jcpenney. The Department Store chain has reached a deal to sell its stores to a group of mall owners and bankruptcy lenders which will save the company from being liquidated. The deal is expected to save 600 stores and 70,000 jobs. A change may be coming to mcdonalds. It will soon test reusable cups for hot drinks to reduce waste. Once you finish your coffee, you can return the cup to mcdonalds or a designated dropoff point. The cup will then be washed and prepared for the next customer. Today is the day football fans have been waiting for. The nfl is back tonight, but abcs andrea fujii reports the game will look a lot different. Reporter this morning the countdown to kickoff under way for football fans. The defending super bowl champs, the kansas city chiefs, hosting the Houston Texans tonight. But with the threat of coronavirus, the season will look a lot different. On the field, no cheerleaders, mascots or sideline reporters. Inside the stadium masks are required, and Concession Stands are cashless. The nfl is taking a different approach compared to the nba opting not to play in a bubble. Tonights game will be played in kansas city, one of only six stadiums where fans will be allowed. Only 22 of seats will be filled. Thats about 16,000 people. We started planning for this back in march, so to get to the point where were now at kickoff really feels like a terrific accomplishment, but we know that its only part of the journey. Weve still got a long season in front of us. Reporter Major League Baseball also opted not to play in a bubble. Several games had to be postponed because of players testing positive, but plans may change for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Times now reporting the league is finalizing plans to play some postseason games including the world series in a bubble like the nbas. Back on the football field, news about super bowl mvp Patrick Mahomes who will be back in action tonight. Espn reports the chiefs have now added an insurance policy to mahomes new 450 million contract. Overnight mahomes tweeting this video with the caption, the countdown begins. Another big change to the game, tom brady will play for tampa bay on sunday after spending 20 seasons with the patriots. His buccaneers now loaded with weapons. Tom brady is 16 games away from setting a record for the most starts in nfl history, and as for safety, nfl commissioner Roger Goodell said in an oped for the Washington Post that players will be tested for covid the day before games and said theyre cautiously optimistic but acknowledged there will be speed bumps. Kenneth, mona. Andrea, thank you. And coming up, a young third grade teacher dies from the coronavirus. What were learning about her case. And late they are morning, Justin Timberlake on a new mission. I got this feeling inside my bones it goes electric wavy when i turn it on begins with ingredients from the earthn. To create fragrances infused with natural essential oils. Air wick scented oils. Connect to nature. Ask sherwinwilliams. Were offering curbside pickup. Order online and pick up paint and supplies without leaving your car. It can be used on the hands, body, and face. It cleanses and moistuizes with 1 4 moisturizing cream. Leaving your skin feeling comfortable and smooth. Dove men care 3in1 bar. The first and only full prescription strength nonsteroidal antiinflammatory gel available overthecounter. New voltaren is powerful arthritis pain relief in a gel. Voltaren. The joy of movement. I felt like i was justs little constantly cleaning up his hair. New voltaren is powerful arthritis pain relief in a gel. Then, i got my paws on the swiffer sweeper. Its a game changer these heavy duty dry cloths pick up a crazy amount of hair. This is all you. We stopped cleaning and started swiffering. Back now with the School District in columbia, south carolina, mourning the death of a 28yearold teacher. Demi bannister was diagnosed with covid19 last friday and died monday. She was known as her schools song bird because of her love for music. We have new information on why that major covid19 vaccine trial has been put on hold. Also this morning, one city is trying to cancel halloween because of the virus. Earlier i spoke with dr. Alok patel about these headlines, but we began with the new reporting about President Trumps handling of the crisis as the u. S. Death toll now approaches 190,000. Lets just jump right into it and start with the new revelations in that book by bob woodward reporting that President Trump admitted downplaying the threat of covid19 in february even when we heard him tell woodward that covid was far more dangerous than the flu, but he kept telling the public otherwise. He says he didnt want the American People to panic. Whats your reaction to that, and what kind of difference do you think it would have made had the president been more forthcoming in february . Well, first of all, my i was appalled, and i was shocked at it. I think had he acted earlier, had he let people prepare and not panic, we could have saved countless lives but also maybe the entire disconnect between science and misinformation wouldnt exist. You know, theres also a model predicting that 36,000 to 40,000 lives could have been saved had we socially distanced and worn masks one or two weeks earlier. Imagine if we did that a month earlier. And, dr. Patel, yesterday we reported on that covid19 vaccine trial being put on hold because one person suffered an unexplained illness during the trial. What are we learning about that person now . How serious is this . What were learning about them is that they may have something called transverse myelitis. Thats just an early call. Thats an inflammation of the spinal cord, which can be caused by infections or autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis. We still need to wait to get the final review. What people should know, this is why phase 3 trials take so much time. You have to make sure things are safe. A new study finds yet another benefit of wearing a mask. Dr. Patel, what are you hearing . What im hearing is that the study kind of confirms what we thought, that if you can prevent the amount of droplets going from the next person to yourself, you might get a more milder asymptomatic disease course and the researchers who looked at this modeled it after an argentinean cruise ship and oregon meatpacking factory so lets wear those masks. Los angeles county tried to ban trickortreating this year because of concern about spreading the virus. But, of course, there was huge backlash, and now its only recommending that people avoid trickortreating. What are your thoughts on that . And is there a safe way to go door to door . I cant imagine how theres a safe way to go door to door. You know, it really sucks. Halloween is so much fun. Its something kids were looking forward to, but there are still ways that we can celebrate that halloween spirit in a physically distanced or a more safe setting. We just have to get creative and all be in it together. We can do an online Costume Party all day. Our thanks to dr. Alok patel. A big sports headline overnight. The Atlanta Braves scored 29 runs against the marlins. The final score was 299, but they did not beat the record. The rangers scored 30 against the orioles in 2007. Coming up, jay leno gets a new tv gig. Also ahead, a teenager getting embarrassed by her mom like weve never seen before. On. Tech well come right to you. Upbeat music tech youll get a text when were on our way. Tech before we arrive, just leave your keys on the dash. Well replace your windshield with safe, nocontact service. Upbeat music tech and thats service you can trust when you need it the most. Upbeat music tech schedule at safelite. Com. Upbeat music singers safelite repair, safelite replace. Oikos triple zero has 15 grams of protein. Saquon barkley needs protein to get the groceries from car to house. In one trip. I eat the protein that comes in this yogurt. Whove got their eczema under control. 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We begin with Justin Timberlakes version of a field of dreams. Timberlake has joined a campaign to bring a Major League Baseball team to nashville. The tennessee native is now part of an Investment Group called music city baseball. They hope to build an Entertainment District that includes a ballpark. Next jay leno is putting a new twist on an old show. Hell be hosting a reboot of you bet your life. Producers say in these challenging times, we need a familiar face to make us laugh. The comedy quiz show was made popular by groucho marx. The reboot will feature two strangers facing off for prize money and debuts next fall. Okay, jay leno has always got a job. Next, a teenager in texas was recording a song for her school audition when she was rudely interrupted. Yeah, it was her mom whose legs suddenly crashed through the ceiling. Not to worry, mom is okay and everyone had a good laugh. That funny video has 8 million views on tiktok and rising. Her mom just wanted to join. Finally a gator emergency in florida. A gator. A sheriffs deputy came to the rescue. There was a report of an alligator in a storage shed. But it was no match for deputy texler, who revealed it was actually a pool floatie and its a crocodile, not an alligator. A case of mistaken identity. It looks like it. Well check the top headlines next. Stay with us. Well check the top headlines next. Stay with us. Severe rheumatoid arthritis. To and take. It. On. With rinvoq. Rinvoq a oncedaily pill. Can dramatically improve symptoms. Rinvoq helps tame pain, stiffness, swelling. And for some. Rinvoq can even significantly reduce ra fatigue. Thats rinvoq relief. With ra, your overactive immune system attacks your joints. Rinvoq regulates it to help stop the attack. Rinvoq can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious infections and blood clots, sometimes fatal, have occurred. 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Get ready, because were in for a less orange today, but the skies will be smokier. And the ominous skies beg the question, is it even safe to be outside . Health officials giving us some advice. And one of the wildfires producing the smoke above us takes a deadly turn. Bay area firefighters will be on the front lines of the bear fire near oroville today. Good morning, everybody. It is thursday, september 10th. Happy you are waking up with us this morning. I know a lot of people are waking up wondering what the skies will look like so lets get right into it because it is not good news. [ inaudible ] during the overnight hours, smoke from oregon entrained in our marine layer and check it out, we have unhealthy air for even. Want it hits red, it is unhealthy for everybody. And that is what you are seeing. As we head a little farther to the south, you can see that it is cleaner around the monterey m bay. And it will hang around until at least friday. And i see issues with smoke all the way through the weekend and ill explain that when we take a look at the smoke forecast coming up. Here is a look at what it looks like from our roof camera, and it is definitely smoky and fog sgi again this morning. Well talk about why it is orange coming up. And as mike said, the skies wont be as dark and gloomy as yesterday, but everybody is still talking about the orange skies. And Amy Hollyfield is live with how people were coping with the really unreal conditions. Reporter good morning. Yeah, Car Dealerships like this ford dealership in walnut creek will be watching the skies today. They have got a lot of ash on their cars and they say that they wont hose all these down until this is all over. We did see a lot of people really stop and pause yesterday to capture and appreciate this moment. Many paraded out to Treasure Island to try to take a possible once in a lifetime picture of the orange sky over San Francisco. Others told us that it impacted their mood. And one person telling us they missed an appoentsment because they felt so off. And then some turned to pizza saying a day like we had called for some comfort food. You it is you have to face it headon. There was a craving for pizza, there was dystopian reality. So i recommend pizza. Reporter and we also found some people outside out on walks or fishing just trying to find a sense of normalcy in a very odd feeling day. The air quality actually wasnt as bad as it looks. It wasnt a terrible day to be outside. And if you did exercise outside yesterday, you were the smart one because today it will look a little better, but the air quality is supposed to be a little worse. Reporting live in walnut creek, Amy Hollyfield, abc 7 news. And that orange sky gave San Francisco really a surreal look. Look at what city hall looked like. A lot of people had to stop and snap a picture, it was so strange. Johns grill which is usually busy for lunch empty because the darkness was keeping people